12 Classic Cocktail Recipes to Make at Home

Find the classics that fit your taste

These twelve cocktail recipes cover a useful range of flavors and techniques, from a stirred Old Fashioned to a shaken Margarita and a bubbly Aperol Spritz. Use the list to discover a favorite or build confidence with a drink you already enjoy ordering.

Start with the flavor you like

For a dry drink, try the gin Martini. For bittersweet flavor, choose Negroni. Old Fashioned and Manhattan showcase whiskey, while Margarita and Daiquiri balance citrus with sweetness. Mojito adds mint and soda; Piña Colada blends pineapple and coconut milk. Cosmopolitan is tart and fruity, and Espresso Martini brings coffee. Irish Coffee rounds out the list with a warm, creamy option.

Learn one technique at a time

Open a recipe for its measurements and method. Stir the Martini and Manhattan to chill them; shake the citrus drinks as directed. The Piña Colada here uses a blender. Once you know the method, making the next classic becomes easier.